adminEddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS and CAPS United have been asked to look for alternative venues for their upcoming Premiership games as the National Sports Stadium will not be available for football activities until the end of the month. The stadium has been closed for preparations of Heroes Day celebrations set to take place at the giant venue this weekend while the next two weeks have been booked for church events.
Dynamos and CAPS United share the National Sports Stadium as their home ground and tomorrow DeMbare, who are coming from an away draw against Black Rhinos at Rimuka, will host Chicken Inn at Gwanzura.
Makepekepe are travelling to Hwange on Thursday but they will move to Rufaro for their next home game against Chiredzi on Sunday.
The Premier Soccer League has also been forced to slot a double-header at Luveve tomorrow as one of the venues in Bulawayo, Barbourfields, will be occupied for rehearsals for the Heroes Day commemorations.
Bantu rovers will be involved in a lunch-time kick-off against FC Platinum tomorrow before making way for How Mine and Triangle.
Barbourfields, however, will be available for the Battle of Zimbabwe between Highlanders and Dynamos on Saturday.
The Heroes Day Celebrations are set to take place next Monday and the rehearsals are expected to start today at the venues.
The league’s chief executive, Kenny Ndebele, said they had to amend the fixture to pave way this week for the hosting of the national event, adding that the National Sports Stadium will only be available on the last weekend of the month due to church commitments.
“It will not be possible to have matches at the National Sports Stadium this week because of the Heroes Day commemorations. National events like these can take precedence over football.
“That is why we are having a double header at Barbourfields because the rehearsals are expected to start tomorrow (today).
“Again I have been told the National Sports Stadium has been booked by two church organisations over the weekend of 15-17 and 22-24,” said Ndebele.
This would also mean the giant stadium will not be considered for the first round of the Chibuku Super Cup set to take place next week.
Dynamos team manager Richard Chihoro said the Glamour Boys preferred to play at Gwanzura rather than return to Rufaro.
“There is no problem with us playing at Gwanzura because this is not the first time that we are playing our home matches there.
“Remember, we are also playing our home games during the mid-week,” said Chihoro.
Dynamos are coming from a goalless draw at Rhinos which left them static on third place with 31 points. The top two teams Highlanders and ZPC Kariba were also involved in barren stalemates while nearest rivals CAPS United managed to close the gap with a crucial 1-0 win over Chicken Inn, which lifted them to 30 points.
“I think we failed to take our chances against Rhinos. We dominated the first half and we couldn’t convert the few chances that we got into goals.
“Now the race at the top looks very exciting. No team can afford to relax and if it continues like this I think it can go to the wire again this year,” said Chihoro.
Newboys ZPC Kariba have set their own landmark and are still unbeaten after 17 games following the 0-0 draw against Hwange. They are level on 31 points with Dynamos but have a better goal difference.
Highlanders lead the race with 32 points but their coach Kelvin Kaindu is not happy after playing back-to-back goalless draws against How Mine and Bantu Rovers.
Meanwhile, the Chibuku Super Cup tournament will be unveiled tomorrow.
The first round matches of the new 16-team tournament have been provisionally set for next week.
Tomorrow
Dynamos v Chicken Inn (Gwanzura), Chapungu v Buffaloes (Ascot), Bantu Rovers v FC Platinum (Luveve, 1:00pm), How Mine v Triangle United (Luveve, 3:00pm) Chiredzi v ZPC Kariba (Chishamiso) Shabanie Mine v Harare City (Maglas), Black Rhinos v Highlanders (Rimuka)
Thursday
Hwange v CAPS United (Colliery)
Week 19
Saturday
Highlanders v Dynamos (Barbourfields, SS), Buffaloes v Bantu Rovers (Sakubva), Harare City v Chapungu (Rufaro), Triangle United v Black Rhinos (Gibbo), ZPC Kariba v Shabanie Mine (Gwanzura),
Sunday
FC Platinum v How Mine (Mandava), CAPS United v Chiredzi (Rufaro), Chicken Inn v Hwange (Luveve, SS)
Online Reporter